Resident wants referendum for non-discrimination ordinance

One Pocatello man says the gay agenda passed the ordinance, and that's why he wants all of Pocatello stand up and say they disagree with the it.

POCATELLO, Idaho -

Ralph Lillig says his opinions come from a place of Christ-centered love. Both he and his wife are Christians, and he said she's been called very vicious names over the internet simply because she is quoting scripture about this ordinance and the issues behind it.

That's one of the reasons he wants to put a referendum in November's ballot for Pocatello's non discrimination ordinance. He said the gay agenda pushed the ordinance to be passed, and Pocatello residents should have the chance to say they don't like the ordinance.

The referendum won't change the ordinance. Rather, he says it would show the city council the majority of people in Pocatello disagree with them.

Reporter Chris Cole asked him about the issue of religion in the law-making arena, and he said law and God's law aren't that far apart. He said the ten commandments provided a strong base for laws we see today.

"If we're talking about an ordinance, we're talking about a law,” Lillig said. “If we're talking about a law, then for me, in some way it has to conform with what God told us."

He also spoke about many of the issues in the ordinance. He said there are only six male-to-female transgender people in Pocatello, and they shouldn't have special privileges over straight people, especially because of how they were choosing to present themselves.

Cole asked if he was aware transgender people are required to live as the gender they are transitioning to before they undergo the gender reassignment surgery, and he said he was not.

He added he feels for the difficult situation they find themselves in, but said that's no reason for everyone to have to be exposed to their lifestyle, nor the homosexual lifestyle.

During the ordinance discussions, he says one gay man said he would advise businesses away from Pocatello if this didn't pass, including city council member Jim Johnston's real estate business. He claims another man in 2Great4Hate said he was glad to see the people who spoke out against the ordinance, so they could 'deal with them.'

Lillig claims the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community is to be feared now. He says not only has he seen most of the hate come from LGBT people, he says it's undeserved because people are simply voicing an opinion.

"The homosexuals are always saying, 'You're not accepting, you don't love diversity,'” Lillig said. “Yet, the only thing I've seen that's been non-accepting, hateful and resentful, evil and really ugly has been the homosexual community."

He also said he didn't like the fact there were a large number of out-of-county license plates at the ordinance discussions, and that was another reason he decided to pursue a referendum. Lillig also made a point to explain why he doesn't like the term 'gay,' and prefers to say homosexual, simply because 'gay' has had so many meanings, whereas 'homosexual' has one clear meaning.

Lillig hopes people will consider signing this petition to let all Pocatello residents be heard, not just a few city council members pushing what he calls the gay agenda.

He said with an emotional issue like this, it all comes down to the majority being forced to bend to what the minority wants – special treatment over straight people.

"Quite frankly its going to be next to a miracle if we get enough signatures for the referendum because the window of opportunity is only about two weeks."

Lillig needs to get 1,420 signatures to get the referendum on the ballot.He said he advises people to approach their religious leaders to see about getting folks in their churches to sign petitions. He also says he's been going door to door to collect signatures.

Lillig said he and his wife have already come under attack from members of the LGBT community, but they feel it's important to show people it's okay to be against the non-discrimination ordinance.

“Regardless of how homosexuals say they're the ones in fear, I guarantee the people I'm meeting are not homosexual,” Lillig said, “and they're in fear of what the homosexual community has been able to achieve here. It scares the daylights out of people.”

Copyright 2013 NPG of Idaho. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.